"If I wasn't in his life this year, he probably wouldn't be alive," Hayson said.

Pope posted video of the former brothel owner addressing media, on her Instagram account and made her feelings clear with the caption: "How dare you!!!!! You are absolute scum of the earth Eddy Hayson."

Hayson enlisted the services of celebrity publicist Max Markson and funded his own press conference at the Premier's Room at Sydney's Intercontinental hotel.

Reporters grilled Hayson in the hour-long interview in which he said he would distance himself from Foran if it would help him to resurrect his NRL career.